Signaling system



R. D. CONWAY.

SIGNAUNG sys/TEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. |917. 1,324,798.. Patented' Dec. 16,1919.

A 1% 2 QC.- N E S n En E UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.I

ROY D. CONWAY. 0F CHATHAM, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

'SIGNALING SYSTEM.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 16 1919, l

vApplication filed May 24, 191,7. l Serial No. 170,609.

Yi? all whom. 'it may concern.'

lle it known that l, Roi' D. Coxwar, a citizen ofthe lvnited States. residing at Chatham, in the county ot'lorris and State of New .lei-sch have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Sysl tems. of whichvtlie following is a full', clear, concise, andl exact description.

.This invention relatesl to signaling systems, and more particularly to such sys- 'tems' in'which a plurality of signaling devices 'may he controlled from a distance over a single circuit or overa plurality of circuits less in number than vthe number ot' signaling'devices.

In' ,telegraph systems now -in use, it is thef-ipr'acticc' to provide testing stations @through-'which all telegraph liiies, incoma lai'gecenter, pass. *l n these testing stations are at times located in f outlying sections of the city,- while the cen- Iii large cities Y. traloiiice may be more centrally located and several miles distant from the testing-station... .Should there be trouble onany' of the individiial telegraph lines, it is always advisable that each individual telegraph Station be able tosignal the testing station in order, thatlanattendantl may come in on the line and locate and clear the trouble. In the telegraph systems now in use, itis the practice to loop each telegraph line backfrom vthe intividual telegraph .station through the'central office to the testing station at which it. terminates. Signals at the testing stationv individual to the telegraph lilies are controlled over these separate looping lilies, only' o1ie .signal being controlled" l over each looping line- It will be seen, there- .between the central oliice and fore', that,.wliere the lcentral otiiceand the testing station are several miles apart, this practice of providing asepa rate looping line for each individual telegraph liiie is very expensive. It is an object of this invention to provide a signaling system by means of which the number of conductors required the testing station will be decreased.`

In accordance with` a feature of this invention, a singlev conductor extending between` the central telegraph otlice and the testing station is provided -at cach end with an automatic switch. At the testing station there is a signaling device corresponding to each individual telegraph line having access to the single conductor. When wishing to Y following description .takengiiry connection.

with the drawing sliowing' 'a' plurality of individualtelegraph lines incoming through a testing station aiidj a central telegraphfoflice to individual telegraph stations, 'andapparatus and circuits by meansot` which signailingdevices'located at. the test-ing station 'i aiulindividual to thetelegraph lilies may be controlled the?? 'individual telegrz'ipli stations.` f'

In the drawingQtheapparatus"shownito the right o d'otted line'1-`-1 is loc-ated at the testing station A; that shown between the dotted lines 2 2 and 3-3 is located-at the central telegraph office B; that. shown Vwithin the dotted' rect-angle C is locatedl at an in dividual telegraph -station local to the central oiiice B and connected witha' telegralih' Y line 5; -and that shown within the dotted rectangle D located at adistantv telegraph station connected with the line 5.`. Three other telegraph lines 6, 7 and-8 simil-ar` to line 5 are shown in the drawing. but while for convenience the equipment of the line 5 only is indicated, the equipment of allllilnes is identical. -similarly equipped. a description of that'ofline 5 will.be sufficient- At. the distant station D,'a Vtelegraph relay 1() controlling a Since each telegraph line is4 sounder E(not shown), a telegraph' keyv1'1' and a battery 12 ai'e connected in series with .line 5. The line 5 incoming from station D passes through both the testing sta-tion A and the central ofiice B to the telegraph station Cand 'back to the central office B at which it terminates; f ,Atz the -station @there is a telegraph key 13 and a. relay 14, controllinga sounder (not shown),connected -in series with the line 5, and a` key 15 controlling a. relay 16 at the central otlice B whose windings are connected in se-riesopposing in the line 5. Since the windings of relay 16 are connected in series opposing. the actua.- tion of either telegraph key, which merely' opens. the lneQ-ha's no effect upon 4this relay. Each relay 16 controls the circuit of a relay 17 individual to the line .and a relay '18 conirnon to all lines. A relay -17, whenv ener- 418 when' energized starts' the control apparatus 'to cause'. the actuation4 offai signaling device at the testine station-A corresponding to aie-locked api-ei ay17, as will'hereinater more fully' appear.' "f

An' automatic sivit'e'h -coniprisinga plurality of fixed contacts or terminals 20. and a movable contact arm 21 normally held against a stopy p in 22,'andil1 engagementA with the first fixed'te'rininal bytheaction of -a coilspriii'g A23'isf-located at the centra-l officel .switch is' traina-by step-pin' a tion of thearri'ebj mean ottffsteppinggand holding pa-ivls-'Qi @and els'pectively cori-i 26, might- 51net. whelfesjivtiifalifh ductorftbitiveen the relav 17 and a resistancecoil The first and last v contacts or fixed -terinin'alsof the automatic; sWitch'A..

as ivillinore fully hereinafter appear, servo-#The stepping magnet 26 upon being ener- 11 0 to4 restore the, appa iatusg' otlsiritch Y A'to 'noi-- mal condition after itscontactarrii 21 has made acompletecycle.' L x. Each ofthe' r'ei'nai'n'- ing fixed contacts or' terminals of tlie switch A isconneoted by means vofa condfu'ctor 36 ivith a Contact of a. relay 37, ivlich when energized locks up under control of asu'itch orkey '38.togm'aintain fa lamp 3 9 lighted. Referring'nowto the-operation of tlie si f -naling systems show nfin the tlraiifing;l 'and' assuming that ,the siibscribenfat. the local telegraph station 'connected'A witligthe" telegraph. lineSfwis'hes to signal the testing st'ation attendalifgthe key 15 at that station'is actuated to therebyshort-circuit the righthand winding ofthe differential relay 1G of line 8, which thereupon attracts its armature.

Relay 1 7 individual to line 8 and the coinmon relay 18 are thereupon actuated overa circuit from battery through the Contact of actuated relay 16. winding of relay 17, conductor 34, resistance 35 and, winding of cominon relay 1S to ground. Upon theactuation ot' relay 1i' a locking circuit therefor Vrelayft and normal contact thereof, contact of relay '18, resistance 30, conductor '29, first contact 20 of automatic switch B, contact arni 21, norinal contact of a slow operat' ing relayetf a-nd resistance -lto ground. Relay-45, in operating` completesa locking circuit 'for itself froni battery through the winding ofi'elz'iy 45. left-hand alternate contact thereof and normal contact. of relay 3:2 to.gi oiiii l ,Rel ay 45. in operating. also preffice B of tliebreak -in' conductor 48, re'- la s flfgzuiilw'tl.areiu-tuated overa circuit from'ibattery 51 (ii'liich preferablylias a potential of. approxirnzitely sixty 'i'olts) throught the' (vinding of rela y 50, contact of slow operating relayresistance 53. rightliand alternate eoiitactot relay 45. conductor 48,' windings of relays 70,.:nitl fi'1`. right-hand 100 series Awith iesif taiice 53. but does attract its 105 armature i'irh'i-n"'energized over the circuit with resistance 53 removed therefrom. Upon the actuation of relay 530. stepping magnet 26 and .slow operai in r relay 46 are energized.

gized attracts its armature. thereby causing stepping pa'iil '24 to engage a tooth of the ratchet i'iheel :2S and advance the ratchet Wheel onestop to thereby nioi'e the contact arni 21 from the first to tlie second fixed 115 right-hand alternatei-ontaet.ofthe sloi'vop- 120 erating.relay.4-6.j. Relay .B24-in operating. opens the signalingv -conductor +S. thereby causing the releasefof ,relays 50 and Tt). lVliile the operations just described resulting from the actuation yot relay 50 were tak- '12 ing place, certain ola-rations at the testing station A'resulting from the actuation of relay ivere also taking place. lRelay 70, in

attracting its arn'iature, causes the energization of stepping magnet 26 ot switch A.. i8"

lay 74 is also actuated to maintain an energizing circuit for slow release relay 75 which is normally energized over a circuit from battery through resistance 76, .contact arm 21 and first lixed contact 2O of the switch A, normal contact of relay 74 and winding of relay 75 to ground, to preyent the actuation of a buzzer 77. y

Upon the denergization of relays 5() and and the release of their armatures, the stepping magnets 26, 26 and relays 46 and 52 are denergized and release their armatures. Relay 52, in releasing, closes the break in the signal conductor 48, whereupon i relays 50 and 70 again operate and cause a repetition of the operations before described to advance the contact arm 2l of each switch from the second to the third fixed terminals. These cycles of operations'continue until the contact arm 21 of switch B engages the fixed contact 20, the potential of which has been raised by the energization of the relay 17 individual to line 8, when, relay 46 being actuated, slow release relay 54 is actuated over a circuit from battery through the Contact and winding of the locked up relay 17, conductors 34 and 33, the contact or fixed terminal engaged by the contact arm 21, left-hand alternate contact of relay 46 and the winding of relay 54 to ground. Relay 54, in operating, (l) opens its normal contact, which is in the operating circuit of relay 46 which is thereby denergized; closes, at its left-hand alternate contact, a short-circuiting path about resistance 53; and (3) at4 its right-hand alternate contact closes a short-circuiting s path about the locked up relay 17, which thereupon releases .its armature. The short-circuiting path for the locked up relay' 17 maybe traced from ,battery through the right-hand alternate contact of relay 54, contact arm 2l, engaged contact of the switch B to conductor 34. Relay 54, while being slow in releasing, is quicker in operating than the slow operating relay 52, so that resistance 53 is shortcircuited before the signaling conductor 48 is opened at the contact of relay 2. Upon the short-circuiting of resistance 53. marginal relay 71 attracts its arn'iature, thereby causing the energization of the relay 37 connected with the fifth contact over a circuit from battery through the contact of key 38, thel lamp 39 and the winding of relay 37`in parallel, normal contact of relay 37, conductor 36, fifth corrtact of switch A, Contact arm 2.1 thereof, and the contact of relay 71.to ground. Relay 37, in operating, establishes a locking circuit for itself through its alternate contact, thereby maintaining the lamp 39, corresponding to line 8 and to the contact of switch B whose potential had been raised, lighted and also maintaining the lamp and relay disconnected from the switch A until key 38 is actuated to release the locked up relay 37.

Relay 54, hereinbefore referred to, in operating, a-lso opens the circuit of relay 46, which then releases, opening the circuits ot' relays 52 and 54. These two relays now release; the former, relay 52, closing its normal contact; and the latter relay 54, removing the short circuit of resistance and restablishing the circuit of relay 46 which again operates. 'Since the relay 17 connected with contact engaged by the contact arm 21 is now released, relay 46, in operating, merely causes the operation of relay 52 to open the signaling conductor 48 to thereby cause the release otl relays 50, 70 and 71. Bot-h automatic switches continue stepping, and whenever contact arm 21 of switch B engages a contact the potential of which has been raised due to the energized condition of the associated relay 17, the relay 37 controlling the lamp 39 corresponding to such contact is actuated and the lamp is lighted. y

The contact arm 21 ot' each switch is finally moved into engagement with last contact. Upon the engagement ot' contact arm 21 of switch A with its last contact, slow release relay 73 isactuated over a circuit from battery through resistance 76, contact arm 21 and last contact of switch A. winding of relay 73 and left-hand normal contact of the differentially wound relay 72 to ground. Relay 73` `in operating, opens the signaling conductor 48 at the normalcontact of relay 73, thereby permitting the release of relays 50 and 70, and also causes the energization of the differential relay 72 over a circuit from battery through the left-hand winding of relay 72 and lett-hand alternate contact of relay 73 to ground. Relay 72, upon heilig energized, (1) opens its right-hand normal contact, introducing another break in the signaling conductor 48; (2) opens at its lett-hand contact, the energizing circuit ot' slow release relay 73; (3) establishes a locking-circuit through its letthand winding and its left-hand alternate contact; and (4) prepares a circuit through its right-hand winding which, when completed, as will hereinafter more fully appear` causes the denergization ot' the differential relay and the consequent release of its armatures. The operation of relay 73 also causes the energization of release magnet 27 which withdraws the holding pawl from engagement with the ratchet wheel 28.

Since the stepping magnet 26 is now dei energized and the stepping pawl 24 is out of engagement with the ratchet wheel, the ratchet wheel isreturned'by the action of the spring 23 tol normal position with the arm 21 resting against the stop pin 22. Upon the engagement of contact arm 21 of switch B with its last contact, relay 32 is actuated over a circuit from battery through the middle alternate contact of relay 45, winding of relay 32, conductor 31, the last contact of switch B, contact arm 21, left-hand alternate contact of relay 4G, and winding of relay 54 to ground. Since the operation of relay 73 opened the signaling conductor 48, relay 50 has released its armature and the stepping magnet 26 of switch B and relay 46 now release their armatures and the stepping pawl 24 is, therefore, out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 28. An energizing circuit is maintained for relay 32, for relay 45 is slow in releasing and resistance 47 is now substituted for the winding of relay 54. Relay 32, in operating, causes the energization 'of the release magnet 27 which'withdraws the holding pawli from engagement with the ratchet wheel 28 and since the stepping paw] 24 is out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 28, the spring 23 restores the ratchet wheel 28 and contact arm 21 to normal position with contact arm resting against the stop pin 22. Relay 32, in operating also causes the release of relay 45, which, assuming no relay 17 to be locked up and the common relay 18 to be denergized,

remains released and maintains the signaling conductor 48 open at its right-hand alternate contact. Both release magnets 27 may be slow in releasing to insure the return of the arms 21 to normal position before the awls 25 rengage the ratchet wheels.

YVhen the slow release relay 73 has fully released its armatures and when the contact arm 21 of switch A reaches its normal position in engagement'with the irst fixed contact. a circuit isfcolnpleted vfor the righthand winding of differentialrelay 72 which may be traced from battery through resistance 7th-contact arm 21, vfirst contact, right-` hand winding of differential relay 72, righthand alternate contact thereof and normal contact of relay v73 to ground. Relay 72 is thereby denergized and releases its armatures, whereupon all apparatus associated with switch A is restored to normal position. If when the Contact arms of the switches A and B are restored to their normal ositions, the common relay 18 is energized, relay due-to the slow release thereof will not fully release, for when during the release thereof the left-hand normal contact is closed, the original energizing circuit is closed at the Contact arm 21 and the first crgitact of switch B. Relay 32 having by this time released its armature, the locking circuit of slow release relay 45 is again established. Both switches will thereupon be moved through another complete cycle in the same manner as before described.

As has been before mentioned, relay 75 is are slow releasing and do not release their armatures between impulses or while the armature of relay 74 is moving from the back to the front contact. If the contact arm 21 of switch A be stopped on any contact but the first, relay 75 will be denergized, closing the operating circuit of the buzzer 77, which is thereupon actuated and serves as a signal to the attendant that the contact arm 21 of switch A is not in step with that of switch B.

lVhat is claimed is:

l. A signaling system comprising a pair of automatic switches at separate points, a transmission line extending between such points, a plurality of signaling lines associated with the individual-contacts of the one switch, a plurality of signals individual to the corresponding contacts of the other switch, means for driving the switches in synchronism in recurring cycles, means responsive to the closure of one of the signaling lines to cause the operation of said firstmentioned means as long as any signaling line is signaling, and means responsive to a connection by one switch with a signaling line to cause the display of the corresponding signal associated with the other switch without interrupting the operation of the switch.

2. signaling system comprising a pair ofautomatic switches at separate points, a transmission line extending between such points, a plurality of signaling lines associated with the individual contacts of the one switch, a plurality of signals individual to the corresponding contacts of the other switch, means for driving the switches in synchronism in recurring cycles, a relay energized upon the closure of one of the signaling lines to cause the operation of said means as long as any signaling line is signaling, and means responsive to a connection by one switch with a signaling line to canse the display of the corresponding signal associated ywith the other switch without interrupting the operation of the switch.

3. A signaling system comprising a pair of step-by-step vswitches at separate points, a. plurality of signaling lines associated with theindividual contacts ofthe one switch, means operated upon the closure of one of the signaling lines for driving the switches in synchronism in recurring cycles as long as any signaling line is signaling, a plurality of signals individual to the corresponding contacts of the other switch, a relay individual to each signal, means operated upon the connection of the one switch iaayee i i with a desired contact thereof to cause the simultaneous operation ot' the corresponding signal and the relay associated with the other switch, and a locking circuit for the relay established upon the operation thereof to maintain said signal operated independent of' any contact of said switch, thereby permitting the switch to pass through a complete c vcle without interrupting the operation thereof.

4. A signaling system comprising a pair,

ot automatic switches at separate points, a transmission line extending between such points, a pluiality ot signaling lines associated with the individual contacts ot the one switch, a plurality of' signaling devices individual to the corresponding contacts of the other switch, means responsive to the closure, of one of the signaling lines for driving the switches in synchronisin in recurring cycles as long as any signaling line is signaling, means operated upon the connection ofthe one switch with the Contact individual to the signaling line to vary the resistance of the transmission line, and means associated with the other switch and responsive to the decrease in resistance of the transmission line to operate the signaling device associated with the corresponding contact of the other switch and to maintain the saine operated without interrupt ing the operation of the switcht 5. A signaling system comprising a pair of automatic switches at separated points, a transmission line extending between such points, a plurality of signaling lines associated with the individual contacts of one switch, a plurality of signaling devices individual to the corresponding contacts of the other switch, means responsive to the closure of one of the signaling lines for driving the switches in synchronisin in rccurring cycles as long'as any signaling line is signaling, a relay` operated upon the `connection of one switch with the contact individual to the signaling line to vary the rcsistance of the transmission line, and means responsive to the decrease in resistance thereof to operate the signaling device associated with the contactof the other switch without interrupting the operation of the switch.

6. A signaling system comprising an oflce, i

a finder switch thereat, a series of contacts for the finder switch, means foraltering the electrical potential of a desired one of the contacts, a second ofiice, a plurality of signals thereat, one for each contact of the finder switch, an electrically operated switch at the second office, a normally'open line circuit joining the two oces, means responsive to the altering of the electrical potential of the desired one of the contacts for closing theline circuit, mechanism responsive to the closure of the line circuit for moving the switches in synclironism, and a switching device responsive to the engagement of' the finder switch with the electrically altered Contact for actuating the signal corresponding thereto.

7. il signaling System comprising an office, a plurality of lines terminating thereat, a finder switch thereat common to the lines, a series of contacts for thc finder switch, one corresponding to each line, means individual to and controlled from each line tor altering the electrical potential `of its corresponding contact, a second office, a plurality ot signals thereat, one corresponding to each line terminating at the first oflice, a normally open line circuit joining the two offices, a relay actuated due to the altering of the electrical potentialotl one of the contacts for closing the line circuit, meaiis controlled over the line circuit responsive to the actuation of the relay, to move the switches in synchronism, and apparatus responsive to the engagement of the finder switch with the electrically altered contact and coperating with the electrically operated switch to actuate the signal corresponding to the engaged' contact.

8. A signaling system comprising an oflice, a plurality of lines terminating thereat, a finder switch common to the lines, a series of contacts for the finder switch, one for each line, a relay individual to each line, means associated with each line vfor actuating the relay individual thereto, the electrical potential of the conta/et corresponding to a line being altered upon the actuation of the relay associated therewith, a second oflice, a plurality of signals thereat, oneI for each line terminating at the first office, means for moving the switches in synchro nisin, a relay at the firstotfce actuated upon the engagement. of the nder switch with the electrically altered contact to release the relay associated therewith, and a relay at the second 'oflice responsive to the actuation of the. relay at the first oliice and coperating with the electrically operated switch to actu- 'ate the signal corresponding to the line associated with the previously energized lindividual relay.

9. signaling system comprising a pair of switches at separate points, a plurality of signaling lines associated with.the individual contacts ot' the one switch, a plurality of' signals individual to the corresponding contacts of the other switch, a normally open transmission line connecting the twoV separated switches, means operated due to the closure of one of the signaling lines to close the transmission line, meansy rel sponsiveto the closure' of the transmission line for driving the switches in synchronisni in recurring cycles as long as any sig-` naling line is signaling. and means responsive to a connection by one switch with a signaling line to cause the display of the corresponding signal associated with the other switch without interrupting the operation ot' the switch.

10. A signaling system comprising a pair of step-by-step switches at separate points, a plurality of signaling lines associated with the individual contacts of the one switch, a plurality of signals individual tothe Coriesponding contacts of the other switch, a normally open transmission line connecting the two separated switches, a relay operated and locked up due to the closure of one of the signaling lines to close the transmission line,

a relay associated with each of the switches and responsive to the closure of the transmission line to drive the switches in synchronism in recurring cycles as long as any signaling line is signaling, and a relay responsive to a connection by one switch with a signaling line to Cause the display of the corresponding signal associated with the other switch without interrupting the operation of the switch.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 22nd day of May, A. D., 1917.

ROY- D. CONVAY. 

